Acetylene-gas burner.



UNTTED STATES JOHN J. GRAF, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNION LIGHT de HEAT COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI,

OHIO.

AcETYLENE-GAS BURNER.

sPnoIFIcATIoN forming part of Leners Patent No. 703,404, daten July 1, 1902.

Application filed April 10, 1899. Serial No. 712,400. (No model.)

T all whom, t Huey con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. GRAF, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful Acetylene-Gas Burner; and I do declare that the following is a clear, full, and exact description of the same and such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and 1o use the same, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the referencenumerals marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in I5 gas-burners, particularly such as are intended for fuel purposes.

The object is to construct a burnersuitable for use with generated gas, and particularly such as is produced by the decomposition of 2o carbid of calcium and known as acetylene gas.

To obtain a combustion so complete as to prevent the deposit of carbon or soot upon the cooking vessels and around the burner parts of the stove, it is necessary and customary to mix air with such gas, for which pur-- pose air-inlets are usually provided and a chamber located between the points where the gas discharges and enters from a jet and 3o where it burns, and in which chamber the proper intermingling of gas and air takes place before the mixture reaches the point of combustion. Acetylene gas, like most generated gases, being under comparatively 3 5 low pressure, moves correspondingly slowly, for which reason there exists in such burners a constant tendency for the gas to ignite and flare up before it reaches the proper point where thev combustion should take place.

4o After such ignition the flame usually darts back to the discharge-j et of the gas-inlet pipe, where it ignites the gas, which burning thereat is prevented from reaching the burner and defeats the proper operation of this latter.

Another cause which favors this lighting back is due to the reduction in velocity which this combustible mixture suffers by reason of the expansion which the same undergoes as it approaches the point of com- 5o bustion, which unless the construction of the The gas-supply pipe 9 is attached to this nipburner provides for this increasing volume reduces and checks more or less the free flow of the gas, thus permitting this latter to igy nite and burn below the burner-surface and within the body of the burner instead of en abling the draft to hold the flame outside. For such purpose I provide a mixing and au expansion chamber, both having proportional relations toeach other, which permits in the latter chamber the expansion of the combustible mixture supplied from the first and in which expanded state it reaches the point of ignition. This point is represented by the surface of a wire-cloth top, which covers the open upper end of the expansionchamber and where the combustion proceeds at once and before the expansion of the mixture can in any way interfere With the free discharge of gas by crowding or checking the flow of the same. To render the combustion .as complete as possible, I provide an additional air-supply, Vwhich is added while this intermixed gas is in process of combustion.

In the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claimsat the end thereof, is found a full description of my invention, together with its operation, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure l shows a longitudinal section of my improved burner. Fig. 2 is a top view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of it, and Fig. 4 is an end view ofthe same.

6 indicates the mixing-chamber, within which gas and air come together. i The former enters through a nipple 7, supported'on a bridge 8, which extends across the chamber.

ple. The air enters through the open end of chamber (5-that is, through the parts-1l left open to each side of bridge 8the size of which inlet-openings may be regulated by means of a cut-off l2, mounted upon nipple 7. This cut-off is so arranged, however", that the air-supply may never be entirely out 0E, for which purpose these open parts ll of the mixing-chamber are larger than the openings 13 of this cut-oil, which latter openings are again 1 oo larger than the area closed by bridge 8. Fig. 4 shows'the extreme limit to which the size of these openings may be reduced.

The mixingchamber communicates directly with the expansion-chamber 14, which it enters through the side thereof, the latter chamber being otherwise entirely closed except at the top, whichis covered by wire cloth or gauze 15 of proper mesh, which for acetylene gas should be No. 30. The combustion proceeds on the outer surface of this wirecloth, which therefore practically forms the burner-surface and upon which the base of the ilame rests. To obtain best results, the expansion-chamber must be larger as to area and cubical capacity than the mixing-chamber, which excess should be such that the former is about twice the size of the latter, thus providing suflicient space to accommodate the necessary expansion of the combustible mixture, in which expanded state it is delivered to the burner-surface Without checking or im peding the free flow of the gas.

This proportion also renders the discharging capacity of the burner largely in excess of the supply thereto of the unexpanded gas, so that in conjunction with the roomy expansion-chamber immediately below the ilame and accommodating the expanded gas all possibility of explosion and ilare-upsis avoided and the darting back of the flame to the supply-nipple 7 and ignition of the gas thereat are prevented. An additional air-supply is obtained through an auxiliary inlet 1G, provided in the burner-surface and supplied from below by conduits 17. I prefer two, arranged in the center, as shown, and in which position they aid in obtaining a better distribution of the mixture throughout chamber 14. This air as soon as arrived above the burnersurface is caused to spread across the latter by means of a spreader 18, resembling sub-i stantially an inverted cup provided with a number of lateral outlets 19, which cause the air to become diffused and thoroughly distributed throughout the burning gas. 'Any possible lack of oxygen is thus abundantly imparted by this second air-supply, which also causes the iame to spread, thereby increasing the heating area thereof and imparting additional heat energy.

21 represents bars serving as supports for a cooking vessel, and 22 is a ring having a downwardly-projecting flange 23, which holds the wire-cloth forming the burner-top in position around the outer edge of chamber 14. In the practical construction these parts and spreader 18 are preferably formed of one casting, thus aiding each other` in retaining their respective positions. Spreader 18 holds the Wire-cloth down around the air-inlet 16, it

' being very essential that no gaps or openings exist larger than the normal size of the meshes,

and through which gaps the flame might creep, causing as soon as it reaches the expansion-chamber an instantaneous combustion of the gas therein. This action, While not in the least dangerous, is nevertheless objectionable, since it is accompanied by a flare-up and an audible puff calculated to startle a timid person, and, furthermore, it might Acause the flame to dart back to the gas-supply pipe, igniting the gas at nipple 7. To prevent such disturbances beyond all possibility, part of the meshes around the edges of the wire-cloth are closed, which is done at the inner edge around air-inlet 16 by a iiange 24, projecting laterally from the air-conduits, and at the outer edge by permitting ring 22 to extend sufficiently inwardly.

If the burner is to be used as an apparatus complete in itself, it is provided with legs 25 to raise it up sufliciently to admit free access of air to conduit 17. If forming a part of a stove, it may be supported in any suitable Waybelow the top of the latter and by means connected to the framework of the stove.

Thus with my burner constructed as de- -scribed I am enabled to obtain the proper combustion, (indicated by the blue iiame,) so essential for heating purposes, of slowly-flowing gas moving under pressure as low as from thirty to ten tenths and preventing at the same time ignition of the same below the burner-surface and tiring back therefrom to the gas-discharging nipple. By reason of this low pressure I also obtain a low broad iiame, which is preferable to the narrow elongated flame produced by gas moving under the usual higher pressure, which is generally from thirty to sixty tenths, and it also simplifies very much the operation and construction of gas-machines by rendering it possible to operate them under such low pressures.

By varying the number of the mesh of the wire-cloth (meaning the grade thereof) within the limits from No. 24 to No. 36, but retaining the arrangement of the other parts of the burner, thislatter may be adjusted to burn other similar artificial gases.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent- 1. In a burner intended for and adapted to burn gases under low pressure, such like for instance acetylene gas, the combination of a mixing-chamber adapted to receive gas and air, an expansion-chamber of about double capacity communicating therewith and the open top of which is closed by Wire-gauze, which forms also the burner-surface upon which the flame rests.

2. In a burner intended for and adapted to burn gases under lour pressure, such like for instance acetylene gas, the combination of an expansion-chamber the top of -which is closed by Wire-gauze which forms also the support upon which the base of the iiame rests, inlets to admit gas and air thereto, and an additional inlet for air only, entering through the Wire-gauze, the discharging capacity of said chamber being about double of its receiving capacity.

IOO

IIO

3. In a device to burn gas for heating purposes, the combination of a perforated surface upon which the base of the iiame rests, a chamber below this surface from which a mixture of gas and air is supplied to the perforations in this latter, a central air-supply opening in this surface to add an additional supply of unmixed air to the iiame above the burner and a spreader closed on top and having lateral outlets to cause this added air to become divided and distributed laterally across the burner-surface as soon as it arrives thereat.

4. In a burner intended for and adapted to burn gases under low pressure, such like for instance acetylene gas, the combination of a mixing-chamber adapted to receive gas and air, and an expansion-chamber of about double capacity communicating therewith, the former entering it through the side thereof, the otherwise open top of the expansionchamber being closed by wire-cloth, which forms also the burner-surface upon which the iiame rests.

5. In a device to burn gas for heating purposes, the combination of a mixing-chamber adapted to receive gas and air, an expansionchamber communicating therewith, wirecloth closing the top of the latter and forming the burner-surface upon which the base of the iiame rests, a central air-inlet opening in this wire-cloth communicating with an airconduit from below and iianges projecting over the edges of this wire-cloth to hold the same in position and close part of the open meshes thereat.

6. In a device to burn gas for heating purposes, the combination of a mixing-chamber 6, adapted to receive air and gas, a bridge 8, across the mouth of the same, the air entering at each side thereof through the open parts 11, a nipple 7, adapted to receive a gas-supply pipe and seated in this bridge and projecting therefrom, a rotary cut-off 12 mounted on nipple 7 to regulate within certain limits the admission of air, being incapable however of cutting it ott altogether, for which purpose the open parts 13 therein are smaller than the open parts 11, but larger than the area otherwise closed by bridge 8, an expansion-chamber communicating with the mixing-chamber and a perforated burnersuri'ace forming the top of the former.

'7. In a device to burn gas for heating purposes, the combination of a mixing-chamber 6, adapted to receive gas and air, an expansion-chamber 14, open at the top, receiving thermixture from chamber 6, wire-cloth closing this open top and forming the burnerwardly-projecting flange 23, fitted around the v top of the burner and projecting inwardly to hold the wire-cloth in place, and bars 21, connecting the spreader and ring 22, whereby these parts aid each other to retain their respective positions.

8. In a device to burn gas for heating purposes, the combination of a mixing-chamber 6, adapted to receive gas and air, an expansion-chamber 14,` having a perforated top through which the mixture received from chamber 6, is discharged, a central air-inlet opening 1t', in this perforatedtop and two air-conduits 17, starting from the bottom of chamber 14, near the edge thereof, and converging upwardly, merging into one and communicating with opening 16, mentioned, these conduits being so located that the space between them is opposite the inner end of chamber 6, and where the same discharges into chamber 14.

9. In a burner intended for and adapted to burn gas under low pressure, such like for instance acetylene gas, the combination of a mixing-chamber adapted to receive gas and air, an expansion-chamber ot about double capacity communicating therewith and open at the top and a burner-surface formed by wire-gauze of Iine mesh which closes this open top of the expansion-chamber.

10. In a burner, the combination of an eX- pansion or mixing chamber, a screen covering said chamber', and an air-distributing chamber -situated above said screen and adapted to discharge air laterally across the upper surface of the screen.

11. In a burner, the combination of an expansion or mixing chamber, a screen covering said chamber, an air-distributing chamber situated above said screen and adapted to discharge air laterally across the upper surface of the screen, and tubes passing through said expansion or mixing chamber and discharging into the distributing-chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.Toi-1N J. GRAF.

Witnesses:

C. SPENGEL, JOHN C. Rodimus.

IOO

IIO 

